Lead McEnroe wants to hang out with you. Because they hang out with each other way too much, and it’s getting weird. Described by The Apiary as “a fearless character creation machine,” and “Masters of the art of long-form improv” by Short and Sweet NYC, this long-running Magnet staple presents a show that is certifiably insane, yet oddly eloquent.

Listen, you mugs! Show business is tough, see, but here’s two fellas that got the straight dope: Hollywood producer extraordinaire Irv Newberg and his bosom companion Charlie Tickertape. These two dapper dans are gonna show you the ins and outs of the movie biz, from signing your star to Oscar night, and everything in between. So sit back, grab yourself some hooch, and watch the sparks fly in a behind-the-scenes scorcher you’ll never forget!

Camp Magnet returns! Our annual summer retreat is coming back for its 5th glorious year. Go camping with us in the beautiful Catskill Mountains from June 7th – June 10th. Enjoy 4 days and 3 nights of improv, outdoors, adventure, and fun with improv and writing workshops. Each day will involve improv and writing workshops, in addition to outdoor team activities such as swimming in a spring-fed lake, volleyball, basketball, hiking and biking. Evenings will be filled with improv jams, shows and late night campfires. All campers sleep in modern, well-appointed cabins equipped with electricity and a bathroom with showers. Meals are provided 3 times a day in the dining hall, and yes, we can accommodate vegetarians. All of this is cradled in the beauty of the Southern Catskills just 90 miles north of New York City. An endless sea of woods surrounds our magnificent 120-acre campground, and a sensational sunset over the springs is truly a sight to behold! This Year’s Instructors Include:

A system designed to turn civilians into exceptional improvisers. Classes in improvisation lead to performances, and advanced classes lead to regular performances on our stages. Comedy writing, storytelling, auditioning, musical improvisation, and voice classes provide opportunities for improvisers and creators to expand their comedic range, inform their creative pursuits, and have a great time while doing it. YES

It’s BACK! March 30th is the last day to be considered for the next round of The Circuit at The Magnet Theater. The Circuit is made up of improv ensembles consisting of veteran Magnet performers and students. Performances are every Friday night at 10pm starting April 13th! You need to have completed up to Level 3 to qualify for The Circuit. Names are still being accepted for what is sure to be the silliest, most explosive and rawest Circuit yet! To apply, just send your name and resume to circuit@magnettheater.com. From there, names will be thrown into a giant hat and randomly selected by someone with giant hands! Shows start April 13th at The Magnet Studio Theater… GO!

This Wednesday at 8:30, Megawatt gets a new team! Refreshing? Possibly. Mind-blowing? Definitely. World Peace Ending?…No, probably not. Fresh out of Peter McNerney’s Level 6, The Party Lions plan to complete the circle of improv life at The Magnet Theater, and features performers from The Story Pirates, Kiss*Punch*Poem, Scoresby, Inspirado, Whisky Tango Foxtrot and We Just Might Kiss. Wow.

Coached by the incredible Kelly Buttermore (Horses), The Party Lions consists of JR Harrington, Evan Barden, Katie Hammond, Nathan Peterman, Bianca Casusol, Gretchen Poole, Brian Frange and Willy Appelman. Like them on Facebook for more updates and info on Megawatt’s newest ensemble!

The Party Lions premier at Megawatt THIS WEDNESDAY at 8:00pm. We’re not psychic, but we’re guessing this baby will sell out. You cannot make reservations for Megawatt’s later in the evening (since it’s pay once, stay as long as you’d like), so if you want to be there, the MBlog highly recommends showing up early to the 7pm Megawatt and sticking around. Reservations for the 7pm Megawatt can be made here. Be there!

The opening night of Company 29’s show, PS 2012, played to a sold-out crowd last night. Under the directon of Nick Benaquista, the show ran smoothly, with top-notch performances by some of the best performers at the Magnet, and effortless transitions between sketches. This was a great start for Company 29, the Magnet Theater’s very first sketch company-in-residence. CLICK TO READ MORE…

Heat is the catalyst that forces the fuel and air to combust – a match, lightning, or a magical spell. If that catalyst is introduced effectively, heat will continue to be generated by combustion. Fuel is anything that combusts – wood, paper, or witch. Air is air – oxygen, really, but that’s in the air. Without all three, your marshmallows will go untoasted. CLICK TO READ MORE…

This Friday, 3/2 at 8:30pm marks a historic occasion at the Magnet Theater. It is the opening night of “PS 2012,” the inaugural show of the Magnet Theater’s very first sketch company-in-residence, Company 29. Set in and around a public school, PS 2012 will introduce you to characters from the school bus to the schoolyard and the academic beyond.

Dedicated to producing new and original sketch comedy shows on a continual basis, Company 29 consists of the Magnet’s strongest writers, performers and directors. The goal of Company 29 is to create character-driven, thematically cohesive sketch shows with a uniquely Magnet voice. CLICK TO READ MORE…

It’s here! The Leap Year. Megawatt only falls on a Leap Year once every 1,000 years…This wednesday everything has gone haywire! Starting at 7pm, you’ll be able to see Magnet All Stars play in combinations that you’ve never seen before. These new teams- Consider The Thief, Across The Sky and Pocket Full of Rocks are ready to make this Leap Year the best since Istanbul was Constantinople! Show up early, make a reservation, don’t miss what could be the only Megawatt Leap Year Show of your life!

No screenplay. No budget. Yet it’s a film worthy of an oscar nomination.

But if you’re not there you’ll never get a chance to see it ever again. On Thursday Feb. 23rd at 10pm, The Movie will have it’s last show as part of the new ‘Director Series’ at The Magnet Theater. A stacked team of seasoned Magnet performers fill the stage to create a filmic masterpiece. Spielberg can suck it.

Directed by Ed Herbstman, this improvised movie is better and cheaper than anything out right now and it’s actually in 3-D for real! Make a reservation, turn your cell phones off and please don’t talk back at the screen. Because there is no screen. They are real people. Why is this so hard for you to understand?

Meditating has helped my focus, mood, and creativity. When it comes to improv specifically, I think of a scene like a meditation session, with my partner (or perhaps the present moment in general) being what I focus on (as opposed to focusing on my breathing as I would during a regular meditation session). Any time I get in my head, I just bring my focus back to my partner and engage with as clear a mind as possible.

Best. Improv. Group. Ever.

I remember when I first became conscious of what being “in the zone” felt like. My mind was clear, my focus was on the present moment, and my responses floated into my head. I didn’t need to think in order to know what to do. Continue reading after the jump…CLICK TO READ MORE…

One thing I love seeing in scenes is when players create elaborate visual set-ups that the audience has to imagine. Sometimes it’s environmental — I remember a great Brick gag where the scene took place in “Office Narnia,” a private hide-away space that included weightlifting gear, endless bootleg cigarettes (“Camle” brand) and a cum bucket. OR! There was another time in the Program when the players assembled to create a giant, walking Statue of Liberty composed of dead bodies.

Other times it’s generated by the characters themselves — there was a great Dunk bit where the fumes from Taylor’s “stinky leg” was so overpowering that it physicalized and could knock people out. And sometimes it is as simple as an article of clothing on a character. Anytime a character is revealed as wearing overalls, a Buckingham Palace-guard-hat, or a Batman outfit, I love watching players take these cues and physicalize them or working them into the scene. What I’m saying is that I like to use my imagination! People!

I saw a Horses show recently and Fed’s character was obsessed with the Bodies exhibit and over the course of the show got his own body suit and crashed a dinner party with it on.

I got to use my imagination. I liked it!

I drew a picture of what I imagined it looked like:

Fed's bodysuit

Scene painting!

Get it? You get it. I will hopefully be doing more of these as time goes on. Oh, if you want to see pictures from that show, you can do so here.